In the last few years, Thailand’s GL dramas have grown from a niche corner of television into one of the most fascinating developments in Asian pop culture.

Shows like Gap, 23.5, Blank, The Secret of Us and Us have all helped expand the genre in different ways, proving that GL dramas can tell honest stories with female characters who feel real and vulnerable. Earlier series often relied on familiar romance formulas and fantasy-like relationships, but newer shows are becoming far more confident in exploring difficult emotions and imperfect relationships. 

Among the new names helping drive this change are Emi Thasorn Klinnium and Bonnie Pattraphus Borattasuwan, whose partnership as EmiBonnie has quickly attracted a passionate international following. When speaking about their rise, neither of them frames success as something magnifique. While Emi often reflects on how unexpectedly her confidence has grown through working as part of a duo, Bonnie brings a similarly honest perspective, speaking openly about self-doubt, artistic growth, and how performing has helped her change her own sense of confidence as a singer and actress. 

During the JIB Dream Fanmeet in Rome, and thanks to GMMTV and Jus In Bello, we sat down with the duo to talk about Us, their work together, and their experience in the Italian capital.

View of the Arts: Emi, you’ve built a solid acting career before forming EmiBonnie. What felt different or even challenging when stepping into music as part of a duo instead of leading a role on your own?

Emi: I’ve never really thought of myself as someone with a “solid” acting career. I just feel like I’m someone who loves acting and has kept doing it little by little over time, without ever thinking too much about stability. Honestly, I only started feeling more confident and secure after becoming part of EmiBonnie. Moving into music didn’t feel especially stressful because singing is something I already love just as much as acting, so there was already a lot of passion there for me. I wanted to explore everything that came with working in music, no matter what challenges came with it. After going through the EmiBonnie sessions and performances, I feel much stronger when it comes to music and performing, and now I’m much less nervous or shaken than I used to be.

VOA: Bonnie, you’ve become strongly associated with your partnership with Emi; how do you balance growing as an individual artist while also building a shared identity as EmiBonnie?

Bonnie: I feel like no matter what role or position I’m in, I’m always still myself. Whether it’s working alone or as part of EmiBonnie, I just try to be genuine and do my best in every part of it.

VOA: Emi, your chemistry with Bonnie is so beautiful on screen. I’ve always wondered how actors manage to create such a strong on-screen bond. Does spending time together off-screen help build that special connection on-screen?

Emi: I think it comes from both on-screen and off-screen connections. On screen, Bonnie and I are very good at responding to each other emotionally. Even if something isn’t written exactly in the script, we naturally react to what the other person gives us, so there’s a real sense of give and take between us. That’s why the emotions in those moments feel genuine and natural, and I think audiences can connect with that easily. Sometimes we don’t follow the script word for word because we’re reacting to each other in the moment through the characters. Off-screen, what people see in clips or interviews is also very natural because we’re simply being ourselves. We don’t really think too much about how we should act. We just choose to be honest with each other and with the people watching us. We don’t focus on whether something looks good or bad – it’s more about being sincere with our own feelings and with the fans who support us.

VOA: Fall For You introduced you as a musical duo; what part of the process (recording, performing, or promoting) pushed you the most outside your comfort zone?

Bonnie: Honestly, just becoming part of a music duo already pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’ve always loved singing, but I never felt very confident about my voice because it’s naturally a bit husky, and I worried that some people might not like it. But once I was given the chance to really become an artist and do something I truly love, it changed the way I saw myself. Seeing people genuinely enjoy our music made me more confident. It also felt special because we were able to create songs and ideas that really came from us as artists.

VOA: Looking back at Us, was there a particular scene or moment that changed how you see yourself as an actress?

Emi: Us was the first project where I had a leading role, so it changed a lot for me. Before that, I had never carried something in the same way. When I was playing extra roles before, I mostly focused on helping the scene move smoothly so everyone could work comfortably. But as a lead actress, everything becomes much more detailed because the focus is on you. I had to learn how to pay attention to smaller emotional details and approach acting in a completely different way.

VOA: Dokrak carries a lot of unspoken emotion, especially as she hides her feelings for Pam. How did you prepare to express that quiet inner conflict in such a natural and believable way?

Bonnie: I think the most important thing is truly believing in the character and understanding what she wants, what she feels, and what motivates her. I had to fully believe that I was Dokrak, that I loved this person, and that I understood the emotions she was hiding inside. Once I carried that version of Dokrak within me, it became easier to understand what she wanted to express and what she was trying to keep hidden emotionally.

VOA: Pam – your character in Us – finds herself in a complicated emotional situation without always being fully aware of its impact. How did you approach understanding her feelings and portraying that balance on screen?

Emi: A lot of it came naturally from the script itself because the character already had a very strong background and emotional foundation. We also did workshops that helped us understand the character more deeply. The very first scenes we filmed were the trauma scenes, so from the beginning, I already carried those emotions with me, and that helped me understand Pam much more clearly throughout the filming process.

VOA: Fans often connect with your emotional performances; how do you tap into that vulnerability while still protecting your personal boundaries?

Bonnie: I’ve learned that I need to leave the character behind as quickly as possible once filming ends. While acting, I completely believe that the character is me, but once the director calls cut, I have to remind myself that I’m Bonnie again. Otherwise, the emotions stay with me for too long. My first role was Peeta in High School Frenemy, and I was emotionally affected by that character for almost a year because I couldn’t separate myself from it. After that experience, I learned how important it is to reset myself quickly by doing other things and returning to my real self after filming.

VOA: Coming to Italy for the JIB fanmeet seems quite special for you. How does it feel to experience a place you’ve only ever seen in films, while also meeting fans who came to see you?

Emi: Italy had always felt like a dream destination for me because it was the kind of place I had seen so many times in movies. I was honestly just excited to travel, explore, and experience everything there. I also kept wondering if there were really people there who liked and supported us. We travelled for almost a whole day to get there, so part of me still couldn’t quite believe that people would actually come to see us, but they really did, and that felt very special. I also felt lucky just to have the chance to see the city itself. I wanted to explore even more because when I imagined Italy, I thought of the sea, mountains, and beautiful houses everywhere. I wasn’t really nervous because I had heard that the fans there were very sweet and energetic, and that they really enjoyed those events.

VOA: With the JIB fanmeet and your first European appearances, what kind of impression did you hope to leave on international fans who were seeing you live for the first time?

Bonnie: I just wanted fans to feel that coming to see us was worth it. I hoped they could really enjoy the show, have fun with us, and feel closer to us after spending time together. I wanted it to feel like a meaningful and happy experience where we got to know each other more.

VOA: When you think about the future, what’s one risk or new direction – musically or in acting – that you’d love to take but haven’t yet?

Bonnie: I’d love to try producing music myself one day because I want to create something that truly comes from me, even though I still don’t have much technical knowledge right now. I think making music with my own ideas and emotions would feel very meaningful. In acting, I’d also like to take on roles that are very different from what I’ve done before – maybe quieter, more complex characters who are harder to understand and have many layers to them.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image © Alessia Belotti for View of the Arts / GMMTV

_{A huge thank you to GMMTV and the Jus In Bello team for helping arrange the interview, and to Emi and Bonnie for taking the time to answer our questions.}

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to film, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. As we continue to grow, we aim to deepen our coverage of Asian music while remaining committed to exploring and celebrating creativity across the global arts landscape.}